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baki
Joined: 29 Dec 2010
Posts: 72
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 Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 2:02 am Post subject: Big dreams and lots of questions |
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Hi folks,
I've worked in Japan several years ago, and out of all the other countries that I have lived in I felt more at home living in Japan. I'm aware of the state of teaching jobs for ALTs and instructors (I used to work as both) so quite happy to start again and join the queue. I've realised that my experiences and teaching ability have no effect in developing my career either as an instructor or for any other fields that I'm qualified for so I'm looking into starting up my own thing outside of teaching and would like some ideas on what needs to be done to start my own business.
I will probably start off with something low risk like teaching privates. Eventually with sufficient fundings I can open up shop somewhere and develop a more substantial business plan like sales (I want to sell IT and electronics products). Starting a business is huge and a risk, but its the one thing I really want to do for myself. I am careful though and wouldn't try to jump into the wrong end of the pool without being prepared with floats and ducks. I actually do have capital and can probably buy off someone else's school or business, but would rather start from the beginning and work my way up from there.
1. I guess the easiest way to start a business is to set up a proprietorship, I've actually got a business registered in Australia (but didn't actually get to start it because I had a full time job at the time), can I continue this business as an Australian registered business in Japan or do I need to register locally?
2. What is Japan's take on importing/exporting goods for electronic items? (ie. tax, customs)
3. Are there Paypal services in Japan and other Asian countries (or something similar)?
4. Is it possible to operate from home (provided that I invest in a bigger and quiet apartment) or do I have to have an office space?
5. Do shakken prices vary according to engine sizes for motor vehicles? (ie. do I have to pay more for shakken for a 4lt car compared to a 2lt car? how about trucks and vans?)
6. Do government offices support volunteering services?
7. Are foreigners generally supportive of each other or am I going to be dealing with a cut throat competition?
I'm also not aware of places to avoid for finding potential students/customers as this will probably depend on where I get placed if I get a job as an ALT. I don't think anyone can predict whether one place is more fruitful than the other but I'm guessing that the bigger cities would have more opportunities than out in the sticks.
I've been reading Dave's for years and appreciate some of the prolific forumers on these boards as well as people who have had great experiences (well good and bad!) living in Japan. I look forward to your replies.
Thanks guys! |
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the4th2001
Joined: 04 Oct 2010
Posts: 130
Location: Tokyo
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 3:20 am Post subject: Re: Big dreams and lots of questions |
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| baki wrote: |
Hi folks,
I've worked in Japan several years ago, and out of all the other countries that I have lived in I felt more at home living in Japan. I'm aware of the state of teaching jobs for ALTs and instructors (I used to work as both) so quite happy to start again and join the queue. I've realised that my experiences and teaching ability have no effect in developing my career either as an instructor or for any other fields that I'm qualified for so I'm looking into starting up my own thing outside of teaching and would like some ideas on what needs to be done to start my own business.
I will probably start off with something low risk like teaching privates. Eventually with sufficient fundings I can open up shop somewhere and develop a more substantial business plan like sales (I want to sell IT and electronics products). Starting a business is huge and a risk, but its the one thing I really want to do for myself. I am careful though and wouldn't try to jump into the wrong end of the pool without being prepared with floats and ducks. I actually do have capital and can probably buy off someone else's school or business, but would rather start from the beginning and work my way up from there.
1. I guess the easiest way to start a business is to set up a proprietorship, I've actually got a business registered in Australia (but didn't actually get to start it because I had a full time job at the time), can I continue this business as an Australian registered business in Japan or do I need to register locally?
2. What is Japan's take on importing/exporting goods for electronic items? (ie. tax, customs)
3. Are there Paypal services in Japan and other Asian countries (or something similar)?
4. Is it possible to operate from home (provided that I invest in a bigger and quiet apartment) or do I have to have an office space?
5. Do shakken prices vary according to engine sizes for motor vehicles? (ie. do I have to pay more for shakken for a 4lt car compared to a 2lt car? how about trucks and vans?)
6. Do government offices support volunteering services?
7. Are foreigners generally supportive of each other or am I going to be dealing with a cut throat competition?
I'm also not aware of places to avoid for finding potential students/customers as this will probably depend on where I get placed if I get a job as an ALT. I don't think anyone can predict whether one place is more fruitful than the other but I'm guessing that the bigger cities would have more opportunities than out in the sticks.
I've been reading Dave's for years and appreciate some of the prolific forumers on these boards as well as people who have had great experiences (well good and bad!) living in Japan. I look forward to your replies.
Thanks guys! |
Here's your homework. If you click around the below links, you should be able to find answers to some of your questions.
I was wondering though, how do you plan on returning to Japan? Finding a company to get you a visa and then ditching them mid contract?
(about setting up business in Japan)
http://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/setting_up/
(regional breakdowns)
http://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/region/
(about shaken)
http://www.navi.go.jp/english/index.html
(tariffs and other information)
http://www.customs.go.jp/english/tariff/2010_4/index.htm
(Paypal Japan's English site)
https://www.paypal.com/jp/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_home&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d9384d85353843a619606282818e091d0
**If you read Japanese, then I highly recommend checking out the Japanese pages over the English ones. |
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baki
Joined: 29 Dec 2010
Posts: 72
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 3:33 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for taking the time to post those information the4th2001. I also found something called JETRO which offered something about business startups as well.
| Quote: |
I was wondering though, how do you plan on returning to Japan? Finding a company to get you a visa and then ditching them mid contract? |
No not at all, I will complete the contract to find my feet in my first year and if possible a second year. As we all know ALT positions are not guaranteed on a yearly basis so we're more likely to be be ditched and scurrying for jobs every Feb anyway (just learning from past experiences!) If there were recruiters that did reward long term instructors then I would definitely stay on for senior roles, unfortunately the market isn't like that and wasn't like that many years back anyway. In fact my monthly salary for the years that I worked in Japan got progressively worst.
You can't survive on those salaries alone so one has to be inventive I guess. |
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the4th2001
Joined: 04 Oct 2010
Posts: 130
Location: Tokyo
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 4:07 am Post subject: |
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| baki wrote: |
Thanks for taking the time to post those information the4th2001. I also found something called JETRO which offered something about business startups as well.
| Quote: |
I was wondering though, how do you plan on returning to Japan? Finding a company to get you a visa and then ditching them mid contract? |
No not at all, I will complete the contract to find my feet in my first year and if possible a second year. As we all know ALT positions are not guaranteed on a yearly basis so we're more likely to be be ditched and scurrying for jobs every Feb anyway (just learning from past experiences!) If there were recruiters that did reward long term instructors then I would definitely stay on for senior roles, unfortunately the market isn't like that and wasn't like that many years back anyway. In fact my monthly salary for the years that I worked in Japan got progressively worst.
You can't survive on those salaries alone so one has to be inventive I guess. |
You're experienced, so I'm not telling you anything new, but you might want to focus on jobs that can get you a SHIS visa (Humanities visa) . . . in other words, you should be focusing on eikaiwa rather than ALT. If you have enough privates or a couple of part time jobs supporting you when it comes time to renew, you can just opt for self sponsorship. It may make things easier for you if you're trying to set up your own business.
Also, I stumbled across a couple of threads on Gaijinpot that you may be interested in:
http://forum.gaijinpot.com/showthread.php?93788-Hi-I-wonder-if-I-may-ask-for-a-little-help-setting-up-a-small-school-in-Kyushu.
http://forum.gaijinpot.com/showthread.php?93728-Opening-An-LLC-Company-Need-An-Advice-For-Visas |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:56 am Post subject: |
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Despite the plethora of trolls and flamers on Gaijinpot, seek out Trip Hop there. She will set you straight, perhaps even within those 2 gaijinpot links the4th2001 provided. She has also recently given some JETRO links to someone who wants to set up his own school, again, perhaps the same ones as here.
GP has its own discussion forum "Small Business SOHO". I suggest you use it. If memory serves, there's also a link for startups on the first page of GP.
Private lessons are not usually considered valid for self-sponsorship. In almost 15 years of being on these forums, I've seen only one person write about doing it.
| baki wrote: |
I will probably start off with something low risk like teaching privates. |
What do you expect your visa situation will be like? Getting enough private lessons to survive on is tough; keeping them is even tougher. If you think an ALT's salary is not enough to live on, I'd like to know how you spend money because it is easy to live on it. Moreover, if that's not enough money, you'd better rethink living on private lessons.
| Quote: |
| I want to sell IT and electronics products |
Talk about coals to Newcastle! What would make you any more unique and special than anywhere in Akihabara, for example?
| Quote: |
| I actually do have capital and can probably buy off someone else's school or business |
Word of advice here: stay away from the Smith franchise. |
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baki
Joined: 29 Dec 2010
Posts: 72
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 11:21 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Glenski,
Will hit up on the GP forums as it does have some excellent info on what I'm looking for.
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Private lessons are not usually considered valid for self-sponsorship. In almost 15 years of being on these forums, I've seen only one person write about doing it.
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Absolutely, I'm just considering it to start my own networking and compliment the ALT work then see how it develops from there.
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| What would make you any more unique and special than anywhere in Akihabara, for example? |
LOL, I'm not that special but yeah I'm interested to try other major cities other than Akihabara. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| baki wrote: |
I want to sell IT and electronics products |
Talk about coals to Newcastle! What would make you any more unique and special than anywhere in Akihabara, for example?
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What intrigues me is what market segment baki thinks they can possibly serve more efficiently than anything already being served?
The gaijin market isn't going to sustain a living. The Japanese market isn't going to want whatever he might be able to import. And, equally important, what can baki import and re-sell that will work in Japan? Built up equipment has problems with voltage. Components is already saturated and baki won't be able to compete with the mass market importers. Specialist importers (eg. electronic musical instruments & components) are already extensively covered by Japanese niche companies. Reversing it, exporting electronics faces the same problems.
If they think they can do it then great, but I'd be fascinated to know what market they think isn't being covered? |
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baki
Joined: 29 Dec 2010
Posts: 72
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| Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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G Cthulhu,
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The Japanese market isn't going to want whatever he might be able to import.
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How do you know that? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 11:22 pm Post subject: |
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| baki wrote: |
G Cthulhu,
| Quote: |
The Japanese market isn't going to want whatever he might be able to import.
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How do you know that? |
It would probably make more sense if you (not G Cthulhu) explained how you plan to go about selling IT equipment to foreigners in Japan. And, why?
Only 2% of the population in Japan are foreigners, and half of them are Koreans and Chinese. English speaking foreigners don't even make the top 5 list. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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| baki wrote: |
G Cthulhu,
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The Japanese market isn't going to want whatever he might be able to import.
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How do you know that? |
Well, what market segment are you planning on targeting? The Japanese market is saturated by mass and niche players. You can certainly sell to the niche market (niche markets being like that) but you need to know the market *and be able to do it all in Japanese*. I'm suspecting you don't have the Jpns skillz for that. The gaijin market is tiny &, IMO, saturated as well - getting in on it when it's already covered by mass market and niche players as well, I just don't see how you could enter it and make it worth your time.
But hey, it hardly matters what I think. If you think you can achieve a profit in the market then go for it. I'm genuinely interested to know what market segment you're looking at though. |
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baki
Joined: 29 Dec 2010
Posts: 72
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| Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:15 am Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| baki wrote: |
G Cthulhu,
| Quote: |
The Japanese market isn't going to want whatever he might be able to import.
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How do you know that? |
It would probably make more sense if you (not G Cthulhu) explained how you plan to go about selling IT equipment to foreigners in Japan. And, why?
Only 2% of the population in Japan are foreigners, and half of them are Koreans and Chinese. English speaking foreigners don't even make the top 5 list. |
Well it's a 2-3 year plan so many things can change, as do all business ideas. IT is what I've always worked in outside of Japan but the field is saturated with both useful and useless stuff. It's a good opportunity to explore these technologies and see how they sell and find needs that I can fill. I certainly needed help when I was buying stuff in Japan and it certainly wasn't easy without a local friend to help (who may not even understand what diffraction or 60fps mean). I don't plan to limit my ideas to foreigners either  |
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baki
Joined: 29 Dec 2010
Posts: 72
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| Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:28 am Post subject: |
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| G Cthulhu wrote: |
| baki wrote: |
G Cthulhu,
| Quote: |
The Japanese market isn't going to want whatever he might be able to import.
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How do you know that? |
Well, what market segment are you planning on targeting? The Japanese market is saturated by mass and niche players. You can certainly sell to the niche market (niche markets being like that) but you need to know the market *and be able to do it all in Japanese*. I'm suspecting you don't have the Jpns skillz for that. The gaijin market is tiny &, IMO, saturated as well - getting in on it when it's already covered by mass market and niche players as well, I just don't see how you could enter it and make it worth your time.
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I'm looking at a niche market for a start and I know that is not going to be enough to form a million dollar enterprise. Lets just say that I have some idea of the local and international markets to see some interaction between the 2. There's no way of knowing if it'll work if I haven't tried.
Business is a 2 way street, if they're willing then they'll communicate, if you're willing then you'll communicate. Having the Japanese skills would be a definite advantage though it wouldn't hurt to give someone a job to help with that.
| Quote: |
| But hey, it hardly matters what I think. If you think you can achieve a profit in the market then go for it. I'm genuinely interested to know what market segment you're looking at though. |
You're right, ideas need to be challenged and withstand the test of time. Who knows, it might develop into something totally different. |
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